Pitch Black Roses
by FallenCeleste
Summary: The end of the year is coming up for the students of Degrassi and the tension and drama between the students could not be any thicker. With hatred and anger brimming in everyone’s cup, no one knows what’s to come over the summer and during the next year.


**Title: Pitch Black Roses**

**Author: FallenCeleste**

**Summary: The end of the year is coming up for the students of Degrassi and the tension and drama between the students could not be any thicker. With hatred and anger brimming in everyone's cup, no one knows what's to come over the summer and during the next year. But surprises are awaiting around every twist and corner. And some of them aren't the best while others are miracles come true. **

**A/N: This is my first ever Degrassi fan fiction so please go easy on me. I'm sorry it's so long but I wanted to get in as many POVs as possible so that I can set up the basis for the story. Anyway, hope you enjoy it and don't forget to review! Also, pairings are going to be decided upon based on your votes and yes, Sean and Terri are going to be in this story. Only one pairing shall be of my choosing and I've already decided on it. You'll find out soon who it is. There shall be flashbacks of Rick because he will also play a main role in this story even though he is dead. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Nothing that is mentioned in the series of Degrassi or comes from the series of Degrassi belongs to me. The original characters that have never been heard of are mine and mine alone. All those that are mentioned in Degrassi are not mine and I only take claim over the plot and the original characters.**

**Pitch Black Roses**

**Prologue**

**Part One - Paige**

Disbelief was etched in every line of Paige Michalchuk's face as she stared down at her hands with a grievous expression present. A million different thoughts were whirling through her mind at a rapid pace she couldn't follow. Normally she had it all together, she usually had it all under control, always being a step ahead of everything. Not situation could shock the blonde haired beauty, nothing could faze her, not after everything that she had been through. That was what she had believed for so long, ever since the shooting that had changed everything. But she had been wrong, very wrong, to think that nothing could leave her speechless and cause her to not know what to do.

Unshed tears were in her eyes as she looked up, her anguish filled hazel blue green eyes slowing taking in the surroundings. Perched on the counter of the girls washroom was where she sat, her hands lying limp in her lap. The dull light blue of the room seemed to mock her, the tiles seeming to bright beneath the glare of the lights overhead. Had it only been a week ago that she had stood at this counter in this very washroom in numb disbelief? It seemed almost an eternity ago that she had ventured in her seeking an answer. The answer she had received though, had not been the one she had sought. It had been the answer that she had hoped never to get. But it had and it had put before her a challenge of choice. It was a challenge she wasn't sure she could handle.

Both choices held consequences that Paige knew she would not be able to live with, to be faced with everyday. One would give her something she had secretly wanted. But then she would be forced to give it up as soon as she had been blessed with it. Her life would never be the same and the view she had of normality would be forever altered. But if she were to take the other choice, then no one would need to know about the mistake she had made except for her family and the specialist. Then she could go back to a normal life and she would be able to put it all behind her, she could forget about it. The whole thing could be buried and left to gather dust with the other memories. She knew though that her life being the same, would never happen.

The choice she would make would haunt her every day for the rest of her life. Every time she thought about it, she would regret what she had done. It would be in the back of her mind every single moment of every day and she would never be able to forget it. She knew that at the age she was at, there was no way that she could handle it. There was no way she would be able to live with either choice she was being forced to make. Either way she looked at it, she was faced with the harsh truth that under either circumstance she would fail.

The reality of the truth hit her hard and slowly she slid off the countertop before turning toward the mirror. The image reflected back at her showed no sign that inside she was breaking down, that inside she had cracked. It was that realization that caused the tears to leak from her eyes and weave sooty trails down her cheeks. As the tears fell, so did she, slowly crumpling to the floor while clutching her sides. All she could do was sit there and sob while rocking back and forth and continually whispering, "What do I do? What do I do?" The answer was unknown to her and she wasn't sure she wanted it either.

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_It was two months after the new year had come and it was a chilly February night that Hazel and Paige ascended the stairs to an unfamiliar house. They had gotten the address from a basketball player at the school and they had had to travel to Montreal to get there. Now as they stood on the front porch, they shared an excited glance and Paige bit her lip as she looked down at what she was wearing. A silver satin halter top that laced in the back and that glistened in the light that the porch light cast. Her black velvet bellbottom jeans fit her legs in all the right places and she knew she looked good in her black high heeled sandals. Her blonde hair fell in waves about her shoulders and her make up was applied to perfection. _

Hazel on the other hand was dressed differently. She was wearing a wrap around skirt that fell in several different layers of black and red with a black tube top to match it that had the word feisty printed across it in flaming red letters. Her long brownish red hair fell in soft waves to the small of her back and she had pinned it back on one side of her face. She wore black boots with the outfit and her make up was applied lightly and played up her natural features. Both of them looked great that night.

Paige motioned for her to knock and Hazel raised her hand to do so just as the door opened revealing the very person who had invited them. "Why, hello, hello, ladies." It was Devon Gray with his pearly white charming smile and his pale ice blue eyes that contrasted so greatly with his tan skin and raven black hair. Paige felt her heart flutter slightly at the sight of him and she heard Hazel giggle as the blonde bit her lip and grinned at him.

"Hey, Devon. What's up?" she asked. He grinned and motioned for them to come in. The party could be heard going full swing with the rock music blaring and the lights replaced by black lights giving it a surreal appearance as strobe lights went on and off. Her nose wrinkled slightly as she smelt the acrid scent of burning cigarettes but she didn't care as she stepped inside and Hazel followed behind. Devon wrapped an arm about her shoulders and she knew that the night would be an unforgettable one.

As the night progressed, Paige lost track of Hazel at some point and she had met so many people that she could hardly remember half their names or their faces. All she knew was that she was enjoying herself and the beer was starting to taste really good. She had lost count of how many she had but the lights were swaying from side to side and the people were contorting into different shapes as she leaned back into Devon's arms. A happy sigh fell from her lips as she closed her eyes and took a drink of her beer. This night truly was wonderful. It was perfect in every way except for the fact that Devon still had yet to kiss her. That was why she turned in his arms and stared up at him dreamily.

He looked down at her and his eyes were sparkling as he leaned down and kissed her cheek before moving along her jaw to her lips where he kissed the edge of them. This action caused a frustrated groan to come from her and he chuckled before leaning down to kiss her softly. As she returned the kiss, it began to grow more heated and she lost herself in the sensations that came with it. There was so much to dating and romance that she had yet to discover and she realized with a thrill of excitement that Devon would be the one to teach her.

Vaguely she felt someone take her drink as Devon picked her up bridal style and began to make his way up the stairs. Her arms had instinctively wrapped themselves around his neck and her head rested in the crook of his neck and shoulder. He was weaving his way through the blur of moving people that were dancing heavily to the new song that had just came on and Paige was only vaguely aware of it as she closed her eyes. She was so tired and her head hurt from the music. "Devon...let's go someplace quiet, please." It was a mere whisper and a slight whine as she said it.

The seventeen year old smiled as he kissed her forehead and nodded. "All right, Paige." After that he headed toward the back of the house that had been shut off. They entered into a study that was shut off and almost blocked out all the music and the noise. He laid her down on the couch and instantly Paige was awake and pulling him down for a hungry kiss. Devon didn't object as he kissed her back passionately and her fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. That was when all thought faded from her mind and she lost herself in his scent.

When they joined as one it brought on new sensations and wonderful passions that she had never felt before and had never known to have existed. It was something she would never forget and she could recall every detail in a heartbeat. The one thing she had not noticed yet though was the fact that they had not used protection.

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**Ellie**

Her fingers danced lightly over the blade that lay dormant in her bag, the smooth feel of the metal and the hilt beckoning her to take the knife in hand and run it along her pale skin. But Ellie Nash knew that if she was to do so, that she would only be giving into the old sensations and the addiction that had plagued her for so long during her father's absence. The same addiction that was threatening to overwhelm her right then and there now that the one person who had been there for her for so long was gone, the one person besides Ashley who had kept her sane. A sigh passed from perfect heart shaped lips that were painted a light glossy pink. The cocoa colored eyes that had stared many people down were brimmed with tears as the red haired girl with an exotic sense of mystery about her bowed her head while shaking her red locks.

A single tear ran down her cheek and she swiped at it with her fingers, the red nail posh she had applied only an hour before glistening in the April sun. Her eyes shifted over the clothing she wore, the purple and black pleated mini skirt that fell to just two inches above her thighs with the fish net stockings and strap up black leather boots. She wore black elbow length gloves and a fish net shirt that fell over the waistband of the skirt that was hung up by a black leather belt that lay slanted on her hips. The black tank top with the silver studs along the bottom reminded her of how she had spent an afternoon with Sean while applying them.

The two had been sharing just a regular day together, lazing about his apartment as the hours sidled past. He had been lying on the couch with his eyes shut as they talked about the events that had been happening and about what would happen when it came time for her mother to get out of rehab. Ellie had been sitting on the floor and his hand had been on her shoulder, his thumb steadily massaging the sore spot she had from hitting it earlier while she tried to sew on the studs. She had earlier that morning tore them from an old belt that she had grown tired of and was going to use as a strap on the boots she was designing. When she had finished he had applauded her design and that had brought a genuine grin to her face. Then he had leaned down and kissed her with a love she had never felt before…

As the memory faded to the darkness that generally occupied her imagination as of late, she realized that her cheeks were damp and that her hand was brushing across her lips. Sensations were running through her just at the thought of the kiss and she let out a choked sob as she wrapped her arms around her stomach. Her thoughts instantly ran to the accusations that she often threw at the mental Sean she had conjured to keep her company at times. _Why did you have to do this to me? Why did you have to make me even more alone in this world then I already was, Sean? Why?_

In her mind he would hold and kiss her, whispering sweet nothings in her ears and telling her that everything in the end would be all right. He would come back to get her, to be with her. He would come back, not for his friends or anyone else, only for her. They would spend a future together and they would travel the world so that she could be a world famous journalist or writer, whichever she chose to pursue. Then once they had earned enough money for a comfortable life they would settle down and have kids of their own and make sure that they had the life that they had never had when they were being raised. Everything that they had lost, the time that they had lost together, would be nothing more then dust gathering on a shelf in the back of their minds because they would be together forever.

"ELLIE!" The daydream that Ellie had been delving into that had brought a silly smile to her face was shattered as she yanked her head in the direction of the voice. She succeeded in twisting her neck so forcefully that it hurt to bend it to that side. As she tried to stretch it, she winced painfully and choked out a greeting to Marco Del Rossi who was approaching the grove that she commonly could be seen sitting in while eating or writing something down. He was grinning as he jogged toward her, his shaggy hair cut bobbing slightly with each step that he took. "I wanted to catch you before lunch ended." In his hands he held a Tupperware container of lasagna and tofu. "My mom made this for you. I told her about how you've been kind of down lately and she thought that this might cheer you up."

There was a small smile on her face as she looked up at her friend, her eyes meeting his own dark chocolate brown eyes that gleamed with a hidden joy. She glanced down at the container and hesitantly took it. Lately she hadn't been too hungry and she was wondering how to tell him but she couldn't find the heart to ruin it for him. He seemed to be genuinely joyous over something that had happened and the brief thought of the new comer to Degrassi flashed through her mind but she brushed it aside. The kid had instantly hooked up with Emma but the two had broken it off just last month. Could there be a possibility…

The thought was demolished though by Marco's voice breaking through the trance and bringing her back to reality. "So anyway, I was thinking. There's a party going on at the Ravine this weekend. I thought that we could do with a change of scenery. Would you like to go at all?" He had an eager expression on his face and the punk girl felt her heart melting all over again as she stared at him and she wondered how she could have ever not fallen in love with that face. Giving a small smile she nodded again before glancing down at the container and opening it. Picking up the fork that he had set down beside her while he spoke, she took a small morsel of it and ate it, instantly relishing the taste. The smile on his face widened and Ellie felt her gloomy mood fall away in pieces. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah I do. Tell your mom thanks." She tilted her head to the side as she started to eat the rest and she noticed the way that Marco was watching her. Uncomfortably she swallowed the bite she had been chewing and she gave a nervous chuckle as she set down the container. Ever since the end of last year she had never been able to eat with people watching her. It made her uneasy and thoughts of how they might be judging her saying that she was too fat in their heads or thinking that she was a twig would race through her mind. Never had she been self conscious of her weight but lately she hadn't been eating as much, she was jogging daily, just wanting to make sure that everything seemed normal.

"So anyway…about the party…well…there's this guy…" Marco was fiddling with a bracelet that he always wore nervously and she instantly knew who he was talking about. The new boy was gay after all or else her best friend would not be considering asking him. There was no way he would take the chances of being exposed to the entire school, not when he was struggling with his dad knowing. She almost visibly winced at the memory, at the way his father had been so disappointed and ashamed and how angry he had seemed. Every last portion of it she could still recall clearly and it caused her insides to cringe together in an almost painful way.

"Yeah? Are you interested in someone else?" Her eyes brightened slightly and she perked her head up as she took the container in hand once again and took a bite. She might as well try to eat in front of him. If she couldn't eat in front of her best friend, there was just no hope for her. But as she took another bite she felt the familiar sensations of bile rising in her throat and she almost choked as she swallowed it down and set the container down again. There was no chance that she would do it here. She had to wait till she got home or to the washroom at least. Trying her best to ignore the sensations, she turned her attention back to Marco.

He raised his gaze and then dropped it as he said, "Yeah there is a guy. I like him a lot and I know he's gay and open about it too. Just…I'm not sure if I should…" As he continued to talk about the new kid, Ellie tried to focus on him and the rising sense of nausea in her stomach. She only had to wait an hour longer, that was it. Then she could be rid of the feeling and forget that it had happened once again. That thought was what would keep her sane for the rest of the lunch period.

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**Jimmy**

"You are so beautiful, you know that?" The words were whispered to none other then Hazel Aden who sat at the end of the table beside her boyfriend, Jimmy Brooks. He was smiling at her softly as he leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on her lips. The wheelchair that had just recently been replaced creaked slightly causing Paige to look down at the two and he just barely caught the way she looked almost wistfully at them. Rolling his eyes he turned his attention back to Hazel who was grinning brightly at him. Her hand fluttered to his cheek and he could hear somewhere in the background someone pretending to gag. With a sigh, he looked behind him to see Jay Hogart doing gagging motions and causing Spinner Mason to break out laughing. But at seeing the steely eyed glare that fell on him, Spinner fell silent and dropped his gaze to the table.

Emotions of hatred and anger rushed through the black haired boy as he glared at the two. His once best friend still held his gaze to the table and Jay merely stared at him with a smug smirk on his face. The prank that they had pulled on Rick at the end of last year which had caused the shooting was still fresh in his mind, able to be recalled at the drop of a hat and it wasn't shocking due to the known fact it had been the shooting that had caused him to be unable to walk. He was in a wheelchair now and the doctors told him that he would be for a good time till his legs recovered which would hopefully be by his senior year which was just coming around the corner. But to think that Spinner had actually allowed Jay to pin the blame on him when Rick could overhear them talking, it had been low and it had spawned a hatred that would never fade.

It was a soft hand on his shoulder that caused him to turn his gaze back to Hazel who was gazing at him with concern evident on her face. "Sweetie, don't pay attention to them. They're just being the losers that they really are." Her gaze briefly flickered to where Jay and Spinner were both staring at him and then she turned back to the table that had fallen silent at the comments. Slowly the chatter began to pick back up, starting first at hushed whispers before once again becoming full debates and conversations. Meanwhile Jimmy was talking to Craig about the band practice that they had that Saturday.

"So, before the practice we're having auditions for drummers right?" After the escapade with Spinner and the shooting, Craig and the members of the band had decided to take a break for a little bit and get their lives back on track. The summer had helped to do so but with some it was becoming harder to do so. And also having been freshly diagnosed as being bipolar, everyone had felt that it would be best to allow Craig to get used to his new condition before they started practice up again. Even though Jimmy had never been in the band before, over the summer as a past time while he sat at the hospital, Craig had taught him how to play guitar and he was coming in as back up guitarist. He couldn't wait to hold the new guitar he had bought in his hands and strum the chords and notes that he had become so familiar with.

Craig Manning, a shaggy black haired blue eyed rock lover, nodded his head with an ecstatic grin on his face. His eyes were bright and they were sparkling as he wrapped an arm around his long time girlfriend Ashley who sat beside him talking with Hazel. "Yeah, we're having practice after the auditions and hopefully this time we'll find a good drummer." At hearing that Ashley turned her attention to the conversation but only smiled before giving Craig a quick kiss on the lips and saying something about having to use the washroom. After she had left, the two had started in on the conversation again knowing that there wouldn't be any bad moments.

Ever since they had kicked Ashley out of the band, the subject had been a touchy one for her and they had tried at all possibilities not to talk about it around her. But knowing that she might be becoming okay with the idea of not being in it caused Jimmy's spirits to lift as thoughts of all the possibilities they could have raced through his mind. He was letting himself get too far into this but he didn't care right then. It was better to dream then to not dream at all and to only live in the present. It got boring and bland but he was drawn from those thoughts by a gasp.

"Oh my god! Spinner, knock it off!" It was Hazel screaming at Jay and Spinner who had gotten into a fight on the other side of the cafeteria. Both were on the floor wrestling and screaming curse words at one another. Emma Nelson had stopped on the edge of the fight and was crying at Jay to get off Spinner, to just stand up and walk away from the problem. Alex, Jay's ex-girlfriend, sat with her friends on the other side of the cafeteria, sneering at the scene and rolling her eyes before turning back to the conversation that they appeared to be having. "Stop it, you guys!" There were tears in Hazel's eyes and Jimmy frowned slightly. He didn't like to see her upset.

Without thinking, he rolled over to where the fight was taking place and kicked Jay off of Spinner. "Knock it off now and get out of here before the principal comes." The words were growled as if they were painful to say and both stopped and stared up at him in shock, breathing heavily. Finally the words sunk in and both scrambled to their feet before taking off through the back exit of the cafeteria and dashing off into the woods. Jimmy turned back to face Hazel who had a look of relief on her face. "Now that that's over with…what were we talking about, Craig?"

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**Manny**

"I can't believe that they were fighting over you, Manny! I mean, like you would want to be with either of them. They're just blathering idiots who know nothing and are just big jerks." Emma Nelson, with her long blonde hair that fell to the center of her back, was standing in front of her locker applying eyeliner while talking about the fight that had happened earlier in the cafeteria. For the last five minutes she had been continuing on about the incident that had happened only an hour before. Manuella Santos though could have been paying less attention to Emma if she was a rock. Her mind was farther away from that subject then it had ever been and her eyes were fixed upon a figure that was walking by who was adjusting headphones onto his ears.

As she watched him walk down the hall and push through the doors leading out to the courtyards, she felt his eyes meet hers briefly and he flashed a smirk at her causing the girl to bite her lips. She was smiling as she watched him head toward the gym and she couldn't help but just stare after him. Even since January when they had kissed at Hazel's party under the mistletoe she couldn't get him out of her mind, even if those rumors at the beginning of the year were true. There was just so much about him that reeked of mystery and the fact that it did, drew her to him. She had always liked a good mystery.

"Manny! Are you even listening to me?" Instantly she snapped her head back to where Emma stood looking at her with wide eyes and a small frown on her face. "Were you even listening to me? Because if you weren't…UGH!" Her best friend didn't even bother to finish her sentence as she slammed her locker shut and then rolled her eyes at her before stalking off down the hall, her bag swaying at her side. A sigh passed through Manny's lips as she rolled her eyes and turned to get into her own locker, her fingers working mechanically as she put in the combination.

Lately she had been getting concerned about the drastic changes that had taken place in Emma since the beginning of the year. After the escapade that had happened, with the rumors and the disease she now had that prevented her from being with anyone who knew about it, with anyone who was disgusted by it, it had broken the smart, outgoing, spunky girl that she had once known. Now she dressed in miniskirts with halter tops and even took it to the extremes on warm days by wearing tube tops that flowed down to just above her belly button and then split in a V revealing her pierced belly button. When she had first come to school with it, everyone had been shocked. What had happened to the Emma who was against piercing, who was afraid of needles? That was when it had first become apparent.

Another sigh came from her as she pulled her notebooks from her locker and then shut, flicking the dial once to make sure that no one could get into it again. Turning toward the courtyard, she slowly started to make her way down the hallway. She wasn't eager to get to her next class. It was gym and lately, the rumors of what had happened last year, when she had gone through her slut stage. Her eyes flickered over the dark blue patched over rocker style skirt she had worn that day and the hooker boots. Over a white spaghetti strap that read Baby Gal Santos she wore a leather jacket that fit her just right and on her head she wore a white beret. There was nothing sluttish about her clothing but yet the whispers were becoming hushed words.

Changing seemed almost as if it were torture. The other girls in her class besides her friends would sneer and make snide comments about how she was so fat. They would talk about how they found it hard that any guy would want her and she was only good for the way she spread her legs openly. When they said that, it was always the same. She would get red in the face and she would demand to know which girl said that and they would pretend to play innocent, claiming she was losing it and only hearing voices. It was tiring and pointless but they found it to be bundles of fun. What they found fun about torture was beyond her but she knew that she would never call another girl a slut for the rest of her high school years. Not after what she had been through.

Her eyes flew to the clock that she stood near and letting out a curse she started to jog down the hall toward the gym doors that were just ahead. She pushed through them just as the bell rang and collided with the one person she had hoped to see. Instantly she cheeks had reddened as her bag and books went flying everywhere. Papers fluttered in the air as she gripped onto the strong muscled arms that were wrapped about her, causing her to shiver slightly as she looked up into his blue eyes. The breath that she had been trying to catch seemed to hitch in her throat and she felt her whole entire body start to tingle. She knew that she probably looked like a moron but she didn't care right then as he steadied her on her feet.

"You okay?" That was all he said before he bent to scoop up the notebooks that were closest to him. For a brief moment all that Manny could do was stare down at his baseball capped head and admire the way the muscles along his back that were revealed through the black T-shirt he wore rippled. Then she broke from her reverie and blushed as she bent down beside him and began to scoop up the papers nearest to her. Every now and then she would chance a glance at his handsome face and admire the way a lock of hair peeked out from under the baseball cap and brushed across his forehead. Soon they had formed a small orderly pile and she picked it up as they both stood. He stared at her for a second before giving her a smirk and saying, "See ya."

As he walked out of the gym with his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his baggy blue jeans, Manny turned and watched him leave. Admiring him all the time as he walked out through the front doors and into the blazing sunlight. For how long she stood there she didn't know but she heard the sharp whistle coming from the coach who was yelling at her to go get changed. Nodding her head she stood for a moment longer watching the door he had disappeared through before turning and heading toward the locker room. Just as she was about to push through the door though, shock hit her and she let out a frustrated groan as she realized that because of that one incident, she had fallen hard, and for a guy that had been deemed untouchable by all the female population of Degrassi. What was she supposed to do?

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**Emma**

Perfectly manicured lavender fingernails were tapping at a rapid pace against the desk top as Emma Nelson once again let out a huffy sigh and glanced at the clock. There was no way that the little hand was moving, it had been in the same spot for the last five minutes. Rolling her eyes she began to examine the rounded tips of her nails and frowned slightly as she found an indent. She had just gotten the manicure done yesterday and already one of her nails was chipped. How could that have happened? The scene at her locker flashed through her mind and she pouted slightly as she remembered the way she'd slammed her locker after getting pissed at Manny. That must have been when it broke. Oh well, she'd just have to get a new one done.

Another flicker of the eyes at the clock and she almost let out a relieved sigh to see that the hand had just clicked over another minute. Good, that only left four more minutes before she was free from this prison the adults dared to lock them up in for 8 hours everyday. She didn't know why, but Emma hated school now. It had seemed that ever since she found that she had Gonorrhea everything had changed in her life. The environment had lost its charm. The bland clothes that she had worn had grown old and dreary. The subjects in school that had once interested her now seemed to only be a down right bore. How it had happened, no one knew, they could only guess. But the old Emma had been a lot better then the new one.

The new one was daring and brave, bold with the words she chose and down right blunt. At the blink of an eye she could come up with a story to protect herself and she could be telling you something true even but it was never true about her. She wasn't afraid to gossip and more then once she had been the one who started the rumors and had fed them with more and more lies till they had circulated the school twice. Although she was still outgoing and nice, she could also be a witch when it came to scathing remarks and bringing people down to a level she could fight them at. The clothing she now wore depicted her as being a slut and easy to get to but everyone knew that wasn't the truth. Ever since the beginning of the year, she flirted but she never went out with a guy. She wore clothes that suited her and made her look good. That was it.

A tap on the shoulder was what caused Emma to turn in her seat to face Spinner Mason who flashed a note in front of her face. With a grin on her face she took the note and whispered, "Thanks, Spin," before turning back around in her seat to face the front. The teacher was facing the board, writing down their homework assignment, which meant that she could read the note without being caught. Unfolding it carefully, her eyes skirted across the loopy girlish handwriting and instantly she recognized it as that of Manny's.

Emma,

I need to talk to after class. ASAP. Meet me out back at the willow grove, all right? This is some major stuff.

3 – Manny

Emma's brows flew up to disappear into her blunt cut bangs as she turned in her seat to stare at Manny who was writing down the assignment. At feeling the blonde girl's stare, she glanced at her and motioned at the note for her to write back. Rolling her eyes, Emma nodded before turning back around in her seat just in time to find the teacher with ruler in hand staring down at her. "Hey, Mrs. Quincy. Do you need something?" A bright smile was one her face as she tilted her head to the side and the teacher glared down at her as she pursed her lips slightly and moved on to the next desk. Another roll of the eyes followed that and a sigh as she pulled the note out from where she had hid it beneath her notebook and took her pen.

Manny,

All right, I'll be there. But first I need to stop by my locker, all right? And if it has anything to do with a guy…girl, just don't tell me you're pregnant and I'll be okay with it.

3 – Emma

Glancing over her shoulder at Spinner who was watching her intently, she stuck the note over her shoulder and quickly he took it before sliding it along the floor to Manny. The teacher was on the other side of the room accusing Paige of note writing. With one last look over her shoulder, she saw Manny reading the note and with a small smile on her face she turned back to the front before flipping open her agenda and scrawling down the assignment. Without thinking she let her eyes flicker over the various homework assignments that she had written down to do at home that night and grimaced. She would be spending at least two hours on homework that night and it did not sound appealing but she had to do it. As long as she maintained her grades, her parents were happy and so was she.

The note was flipped back at her by Spinner, which resulted in the teacher shouting across the room for Spinner to stay after due to his lack of respect for the other students. The two girls shared a glance as they giggled and as Manny began to walk out of the room, Emma began to slip her books into her bag before shouldering and walking out of the room. She could feel eyes on her as she walked down the hallway while brushing her hair over her shoulder. The familiar feeling of bugs crawling across her skin invaded her senses and she had to fight the shudder that fought to overcome her. If she showed she was uncomfortable that would only fuel the rumors that had spread about her. She was trying to stop the rumors but with each passing day it seemed to become harder and harder to do.

A sigh passed her lips as she paused at her locker and spun the dial, unlocking it with ease and opening the door. When she did so, a cream colored envelope sealed with a crest she couldn't recognize. Warily she looked around before she bent and picked it up. She tucked it away in the side pocket of her messenger bag before she pulled her textbooks from her locker and then slammed it shut with a jut of her hip. Cradling the textbooks she started to head toward the washroom so that she could fix her hair and make up before she heading out to meet Manny. As she went to enter into the washroom though she found herself stopping at the whisper of voices. Biting her lip she knew that she should turn back and not eavesdrop and just head out to the willow grove, but for some reason she couldn't.

Curiosity over came her as she peeked her head around the corner. Her eyes widened at the sight of a familiar figure. The baseball cap and the shades, the brush of stubble on his well defined jaw and cheeks. The muscles that she had once felt beneath her hands and become so familiar with in one night. A shudder wracked her body as she heard the familiar giggle of none other then Manny. She stood with her back against the wall and a knee bent. One hand was tucked behind her back and her head was tilted flirtatiously as she twirled a perfect black curl about a finger. It was the way that she looked at him though that caused her to feel nauseous.

Trying to hold back the vomit that had risen to form a lump in her throat, she slowly turned and walked to the washroom nearby. Upon entering she dashed into a stall and within seconds the sound of retching filled the air as she emptied her lunch into the toilet. Emma wiped at her nose as she sat there, breathing heavily for a moment. Her heartbeat was beating at a staccato rate and she didn't think she'd ever be able to breathe again. There was no way that Manny liked him. Not after everything had happened. Was she really that stupid?

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**A/N: All right, originally I was going to have a mysterious POV at the end and I wanted to see how many of you guys could guess who it was but I realized that I have to save it for the end of chapter one if I want this to work out in the end. I'm sorry if the characters seemed OOC but it's really tough to write a DFF when it's your first one. I still hope that you guys review and that you like it. I'm going to be posting up the first chapter probably within the next week or so. Keep your eyes out for it and don't forget to review! Have a great week!**


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